THE SETTLEMENT OF THE LAND.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4825, 1 December 1902, Page 4

THE SETTLEMENT OF THE LAND.

Mr Withoford, tho senior member for Auckland, is to be congratulated on his perseverance in the matter of land settlement. Ho went to the poll vvitii the cry of “ More settlement, and quicker, and after ho returns from his victory there, lie loses no time in sounding the same imperative call. Mr M itheford is once more in the usual hurry, and tho usual mood ■which will not take ‘‘ INo for an answer. In fact, he complains that ho cannot get any answer at a. good, bad or indifferent. But, inasmuch as the last few weeks have'been under tho spell of the doctoral spirit, which always locks tho wheels of business, that complaint cannot bo regarded as anything more than a pin-prick. Besides, "as a matter of fact, Mr Duncan has devc-tcd much time to this matter. The Premier, however, to whom Mr WiUsoford addressed himself at tho start of his campaign, the very day after the general election, lias promised immediate attention for his representations. Ho has done more, for ho has informed Mr tVitheford that steps have already been taken for increasing the supply of land ready for tho demand. The newly rc-clected member for Auckland has submitted that ho lias tho names of between four and five hundred persons ready to go into occupation.- If more members were like Mr Witheford in this respect, tho reinforcement to the ordinary standing army of carth-hungcrors would bo very formidable. By the way, they will bo glad to learn that tho block set apart last session for the troopers has been surveyed.

Tho Department of Lands is not to Lc regarded, by any means, as neglecting tho situation. On tho contrary, tho land sales (to use tho word in common uso for describing the usual methods of disposition) advertised for the coming month aggregate a largo amount of land. In the three land districts of Auckland, Taranaki and Wellington about a quarter of a million acres arc in the lists. Tho sections are in tho heart of Katrina County, in tho County of Clifton, and in tho upper Wanganui territory. They aro accurately described as to locality, and the nature and character of the land are given in groat detail. Indeed, as to this, there are complaints in certain quarters that the department is too frank. The complaint, wo may say in passing, does honour to tho great Department of Lands. It virtually declares that tho officers of tho public Land Office do not conduct business after tho manner of land agent's and horse-copers. They represent tho State, which honestly wishes to settle these lands on their merits, and must dcpqnd for all time on the use-made of tho land by tho people they induce to sottio upon it. It is a case in-which honesty, guided by prudence and reinforced by consideration for others, turning its back upon tho maxim caveat emptor,’ - gives the buyer tho fullest information as to good and bad alike. These summaries of tho quality, capacity and character of tho lands olfored, of their distances from known points, of tho roads or want of them, and other matters of necessary interest, aro in every way admirable, and tho maps are full and excellent. No settler who acquires a section from tho Government can over complain of any deception. From tho first ho knows exactly what to expect. It is worth remembering in this connection that tho Westland Kokotahi estate, described accurately according to this system, and denounced during tho election as a bad bargain of the Government, was disposed-of on the day of offer to tho last section.

The Premier and Mr Witlieford have, it may bo said, received a fresh mandate from the people on tho subject of tho settlement of the public lands. The former vent to the polls as the head of a Government representing jirogrossivo development, spending money at a fair rate of speed for tho settlement and improvement of tho country. In this the Opposition did really oppose. They dm not, as in other matters, offer to turn Ministers out and keep their measures in. They bluntly declared that tho Government was wasting money in all directions in. extravagance. There was consequently \ a straight-out issue. Naturally, wo have from the Premier in tho moment of victory an assurance that the pace of land settlement and its cost must be increased. As there can bo no better investment than tho effective settlement of tho people on the land, there can ho hut ono opinion throughout tho country of tho Premier’s determination. For the current year tho laud laws aro tho only authority for the tenures. Mr Witlieford seems to have obtained a mandate for a still more Liberal series of facilities. In this respect some countries, notably Canada, where land is granted freo to settlers, aro ahead of New Zealand. But in whatever way the lead may he reduced, and very much may bo said on that side, the reduction must bo mado by Parliament; and that ought to he attended to in . June next. For the more rapid settlement, under present conditions, the Cabinet should not hesitate to exceed the appropriations, if it should deem such a course necessary. To increase the land sales there must he an increase of surveyors and draughtsmen; and to encourage settlers to go out into the wilderness where the remaining Crown lands aro situated, there must be more roads, and these must ho of a character to stand the stress of tho winter rains. Whatever the Government may do in the direction of increasing tho settlement of the land, in obedience to the mandate of the country, will be cheerfully endorsed by tho Parliament whiclr 13 the embodiment of that mandate.